Turning It Out

Time spent in the shop watching the guys turn out custom bookcases, cabinet doors and table legs always reminds me how much I enjoy watching a clients home transform. It all starts here. 

Color and Contrast

A little color and contrast can make a room pop. 

It's Heavy Work

From the shop to the truck, from the truck to the house, from the house in and out to make final adjustments, it's one long heavy day of work. 

Simple Backsplashes Make a Visual Punch

Tiled backslashes don't have to include all sorts of extra details, sometimes the simplest ones offer just as much of a visual wow factor.

One of a Kind

Looking for something you have never seen before? Think about updating your powder room with a hand hammered silver bowl converted into a sink. Stunning!

Quartz Tops

A solid countertop surface such as "Cambria" quartz maybe just what you're looking for. They are highly durable, great looking, available in many hues and in (19) edge profiles. Quartz works and looks great when used in kitchens / baths with traditional, contemporary and modern designs. 

Water Is Looking Good

Faucets and fixtures are changing their apperiances, features and even how they're installed. Manufactures have been designing groups / suites of products that work together to produce a designers touch. Digital technology has been used to allow a wave of a hand to flush the toilet and to turn on faucet. Natural metal / industrial finishes are showing up in showrooms and growing in popularity. New leak-free easy to use connectors are reducing plumbing headaches. 

Houzz

I always encourage clients early on to explore Houzz.com and start building a file of both "likes & "dislikes", this creates a great springboard into a project. 

Creative Design Execution

Using creative design during renovation and updating projects will provide a chance to execute desired structural improvements. When opening kitchens into adjacent rooms take your time to uncover these opportunities you will never look back. 

Fact From Fiction

Homebuyers first fall in love with the house and then wonder whether or not hidden items may need repairs. Buyers know what they like and can quickly visually spot things that are appealing, however it's much harder to spot things that they have less experience with.  As a result getting a high-quality thorough home inspection is of great importance, this truly helps to separate fact from fiction. 

Experience the Foundation to Design

When clients learn of a contractors experience with a wide variety of projects it helps to put their mind at ease and allows them to focus on the fun part of the project - the design.

Popular Size

The most popular size of a bathroom remodel is 150 sq', a kitchen remodel is 200 sq' and a average basement or attic buildout is 400 sq'

Budgeting for Outcome

Client engaged remodelers typically provide multiple budgets when discussing options for enhancing a home whether it's a kitchen or a outdoor living area. Adaptive budgeting can create a relaxed environment for reviewing plans and will have an effect on the final outcome. I typically recommend working with ranges and then "fine-tune" based on continuous involvement with the client or their designer. In the end this helps all parties remain engaged during the project and impacts the creative result. 

Vendor Relationships are Valuable to Homeowners

Experienced remodelers and improvement contractors want supplier relationships that enhance their own client relationships. As a result most vendors support this philosophy and improve their customer support by offering a single point of contact, designer services and responsiveness to a homeowners desire to thoroughly understand available options. 

Dimmers aren't so dim!

Dimmers have changed but their impact on your lighting hasn't. Check out this cool new addition to dimmer options: 

"GRAFIK T is the latest innovation in Lutron’s ® family of products. The simple, intuitive design and effortless operation set a new standard for lighting control. There are no knobs, sliders or buttons, simply touch the LED lightbar anywhere to set the lights to that desired level. Touch the toggle button to turn the lights off, or to recall the last preset level."

Inspect & Enjoy

Front entries set the tone of a home so keeping them looking good is of importance. Semi-annual inspections can easily keep them in top condition by allowing for minor repairs to be completed before they can become a major undertaking.

- make sure gutters are kept cleaned and adjusted for proper flow

- look at decorative mouldings to make sure caulk seams aren't opening and paint looks fresh

- check column bases for soft spots and open seams

- make sure that column "crowns" are sealed and do not allow water penetration 

- make sure the front door and the doors hardware doesn't appear weathered 

- have overhanging roofs inspected for leaks or damage 

Washing Machine Connections

You really need to check the condition of the water supply hoses going to your washer (if you have a steam drier check those hoses too). If they look odd in anyway, if they have a cracked brittle surface or if you know they are simply old change them right away. Always replace using the reinforced braided stainless steel style hoses.